Five weeks from today, you are invited to join West Seattle Hi-Yu in celebrating its Spring Tea and Silent Auction, featuring this year’s Senior Court coronation. Hi-Yu volunteer Danette Carufel shares the photo and invitation:

Please join us at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Spring Tea and Silent Auction. It will be held on Sunday, May 31st, from 2-4:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Enjoy great tea, company, and delicious food provided by caterers and businesses in our community as well as a fun silent auction to help raise funds for our scholarship program and building the float that represents West Seattle in parades throughout the Puget Sound. This year we will also be crowning the new West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen. Tickets are $25 per person, or bring your friends and fill a table of 10 for $250. For reservations, call 206-935-6517 or e-mail info@westseattlehiyu.com. Hope to see you there!

Inspired by those two proposed float designs (backstory here), West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s 2015 theme is “Sound Respect” – as in, respecting and caring for Puget Sound – and the next step is choosing a button design. Like the float, it’ll be chosen from community-generated designs brought to tomorrow night’s Hi-Yu meeting:

The button design does not have to include any or all of the elements. Use your imagination. Draw several ideas, with color, in a circle that is the size of a Hi-Yu button (2″ across the center of a round button) … After the button design is selected, a graphic designer will make the necessary adjustments to refine it for the button to be printed and the buttons will then be made for the 2015 Hi-Yu Festival.

Hi-Yu buttons are sold at events throughout the summer as a fundraiser for the all-volunteer nonprofit. Tomorrow night’s meeting is at 7 pm in the lower-level meeting room of Admiral Congregational Church (California/Hill).

(WSB photos)
When two rounds of voting were over at tonight’s West Seattle Hi-Yu meeting – two proposed designs for this year’s parade float were tied. In a subsequent vote, it was decided that the two designs – both with marine elements – will be combined, with the wording of the official theme/slogan to be worked out later.

The two winning themes were proposed by the two current Hi-Yu queens – Senior Court Queen Lorelei McFadden sketched out a float celebrating local nature and sustainability – even featuring one of Puget Sound’s iconic orcas:

Toward the point of “sustainability,” she pitched the fact that the theme could reuse much of the basic decor from last year’s float. In the spirit of a “Save Our Sound” type of theme, it will be incorporated with elements of Junior Court Queen Emily Cain‘s design, which was anchored by a ferryboat:

Other designs proposed tonight by royalty past and present included a day at Alki Beach, a night at the movies, tropical rainforests, Seattle landmarks including Pike Place Market and the International District, and flowers.

Turning the design into reality is an all-volunteer effort that happens between now and late spring, when the float hits the road for a tour of parades starting in Sequim. Hi-Yu’s new president Jay Murray suggested tonight that Hi-Yu might even be able to make it into the Daffodil Parade in Pierce County this year – an event that moves between four communities over the course of one day in April – by bringing back the 2014 design (an Alice in Wonderland Tea Party theme that also highlighted Hi-Yu’s 80th anniversary).

The float is seen here in its home neighborhood every year during the Rotary Club of West Seattle-sponsored Grand Parade, which is on the Hi-Yu master 2015 schedule – reviewed tonight – for July 18th (though the date isn’t final until parade organizers officially announce it later in the year).

Hi-Yu is also hoping this year to bring back what used to be a summertime tradition, the All-West Seattle Picnic in Lincoln Park. That would likely be in August, sometime after the Hi-Yu float’s biggest appearance of the summer, the Seafair Torchlight Parade (July 25th this year, according to the Hi-Yu schedule grid).

More than 20 people attended tonight’s meeting, from current and past organization leaders to new members, and Hi-Yu is hopeful of more volunteer help. They’re also hoping to raise money via sponsorships from local service clubs who would be showcased on a covered-trailer for the float, which itself needs replacement, as a much-repaired ’60s-era vehicle that is said to go through “a gallon of transmission fluid” per parade. And they’ll soon finalize a full slate of new officers; longtime photographer Joanne Murray has been filling in with extra duties in the meantime. She also spoke tonight about Hi-Yu’s plan for more community outreach, participating in events beyond the ones traditionally on their schedule; last month, for example, Hi-Yu joined in a West Seattle Art Walk event, and hopes to do so again as soon as next month.

Keep an eye on the website at westseattlehiyu.com for events and ways to join in, including the monthly meetings – next one 7 pm February 2nd at the regular meeting location, Admiral Congregational Church (4320 SW Hill).

(WSB photo, July 2013: Hi-Yu float work behind the scenes – it’s not just about parade waves!)
The arrival of January puts us midway between the last round of summer fun and the next one. Festivals, parades, concerts … none of it happens without a lot of planning and preparation, most if not all thanks to volunteers who are busy all year long. If you haven’t jumped in to help yet – maybe this is your year. One of the first opportunities comes tomorrow night, as all-volunteer West Seattle Hi-Yu meets for the first time in 2015, with a big agenda item: Choosing this year’s theme, the one you’ll see on the parade float and benefit buttons. All are welcome, 7 pm at Admiral Congregational Church (4320 SW Hill, just west of California SW), and the announcement from new Hi-Yu president Jay Murray notes, “The new officers are excited with the possibilities of having wonderful events throughout the year for the community. Your participation will help to make it possible.”

Two other/additional ways to get involved as the new year begins:

MEMBERSHIP: Support Hi-Yu by becoming a member, $20/year. (You can even pay online.) Money raised by the nonprofit organization not only supports the events it presents, but also scholarships for the Junior Court (just chosen!) and Senior Court (see below) who serve as its youth ambassadors each year.

SENIOR COURT APPLICATIONS: Students ages 17-22 will be able to apply soon, as applications will be made available for starters via local high schools and South Seattle College (WSB sponsor).

(WSB photo from 2014 West Seattle Grand Parade)
And a P.S. about the float, from Hi-Yu: “The budget for this upcoming year includes a covered trailer for the float. It will be possible to purchase one with the help of the West Seattle Service Clubs as sponsors with their logo printed on the sides of the trailer. This will allow our Hi-Yu float to be able to travel to parades more safely and with less set-up and take-down work for the parades, and advertise the service clubs.” Thanks to Hi-Yu, West Seattle is the last city neighborhood with its own float. Last year (above), the theme honored Hi-Yu’s 80th anniversary; in 2013 (top photo), it was “Alki Deep”; in 2012, “Secret Garden“; in 2011, “Sparkling Seattle“; in 2010, “Dreams Do Come True.” This year? Be there tomorrow night!

Congratulations to the new West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court, coronated Monday night at Admiral Congregational Church. They are Queen Emily Cain (center) and Princesses Emma Maffeo (left) and Audrey Kline. They will succeed the 2014 Junior Court, Queen Bianca Carufel and Princesses Sadie Botuchis and Callie McFadden, with them in our photo below:

Admiral Church, where Hi-Yu members and volunteers gathered along with family members, is the organization’s new regular meeting place.

The next meeting will focus on designs/themes for 2015 Hi-Yu. Everyone’s welcome and volunteers are very much appreciated – watch westseattlehiyu.com and the Hi-Yu Facebook page for meeting and event info.

P.S. Next gig for Hi-Yu – they’ll be at West Seattle Windermere in The Junction this Thursday night (December 11) for the holiday edition of West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm. You can buy one of their blown-glass fundraising ornaments there, too!

Girls and boys ages 8-12 who want to have fun being community ambassadors are invited to apply – right now! – to be part of the next West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court. As outlined on the flyer you can browse above, the application deadline is less than two weeks away; interviews are on December 3rd, and the new court will be coronated on December 8th. The application form is linked from this page of the Hi-Yu website. Good luck!

(WSB photo, 2012 Harvest Festival)
Shopping, trick-or-treating, more shopping, costume parade, more shopping, kids’ activities … plan to be in The Junction on Sunday, October 26th, for the third annual Harvest Festival, officially announced today by the West Seattle Junction Association. Created in 2012, this event moved the Sunday Farmers’ Market out into the street, folded in the annual business-district trick-or-treating, and added a costume parade as well as games and other activities for kids, and it’s been a fun-filled four hours each time, rain or shine. The hours again this year:

*Festival runs 10 am-2 pm
*Costume parade at 11:30 am
*Trick-or-treating at noon

If your business, group, or organization would like to offer a Harvest Activity as part of the festival, find the application here. If you can volunteer at the festival, please e-mail Junction Association director Susan Melrose at susan@wsjunction.org

(Torchlight Parade photo courtesy West Seattle Hi-Yu)
Congratulations to West Seattle Hi-Yu for its award-winning appearance in Saturday night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade. The craftsmanship and creativity that went into the 80th anniversary Hi-Yu float – which features a steam-emitting teapot – won the Seafair Workmanship Award. Hi-Yu’s Denise Davis told us via Facebook, “Duane (Davis), the driver/builder, said the judges were beaming when they saw the teapot steaming and the cake spinning and the court members dancing to ‘Welcome to my Tea Party’.”

UPDATED P.S. Thanks to Hi-Yu for sharing the parade photos – look closely at the one above this line to see driver/designer Duane!

That’s a quick clip from “In the Mood,” the Glenn Miller classic with which the West Seattle Big Band started tonight’s annual Hi-Yu Concert in the Park. They’re just a few songs in, so there’s lots of time to get to the east lawn of Hiawatha (Walnut south of Lander) for the rest of the free concert – bring a chair or blanket, picnic if you want, and enjoy the music.

ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: More photos and video from the concert. It’s a tradition for Hi-Yu royalty to speak to the crowd at intermission:

Their upcoming public appearances include Hiawatha Fun Fest on Friday afternoon and the West Seattle Grand Parade on Saturday. Meantime, WSBB’s Jim Edwards, a former Hi-Yu president, and daughter Michelle Edwards, 2006 Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen, showed off the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Community Service that’s been updated for this Saturday’s parade (they’re both part of the parade-coordination team too):

As reported here Monday night, this year, the trophy honors community volunteer/advocate Earl Cruzen, best known for West Seattle’s murals, a project that expanded to include the Walking on Logs art installation. He’s scheduled to ride with it in the parade.

Back to the concert – the band, with director Donn Weaver at left:

(We met a concertgoer who was excited to be there because she had been a student of Weaver’s in high school!) Next, vocalist Sarah Ackers:

Still working on the video.

(Click picture for larger view)
Thanks to Jim Edwards for our first look at this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu float, participating in this year’s Burien 4th of July Parade this afternoon. As seen in our earlier coverage, Hi-Yu Junior Court members were in today’s West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade, minus float, but you’ll be able to see the float and both Senior/Junior Court royalty (and volunteers!) two weeks from tomorrow in the West Seattle Grand Parade (for which Jim is longtime co-coordinator) – 11 am Saturday, July 19th, with an easy-to-remember route – California SW between Lander (north side of Hiawatha) and Edmunds (south end of The Junction).

5:51 PM: Coronated at this afternoon’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Tea & Silent Auction: New Senior Court Queen Lorelei McFadden. (Added: Video of the announcement and the crowning of the Senior Court:)

She, Nina Coluccio, and Hang Thao (first male Senior Court candidate since Hi-Yu updated its rules) will reign over this summer’s Hi-Yu events, including parade participation around the region aboard this area’s last community-created float. Queen Lorelei is at center in our photo, with her predecessor April Davis at left, and Miss Seafair Emily Rio Barber. We’ll be expanding this story later with more from this afternoon’s Hall at Fauntleroy event.

ADDED 8:23 PM: Today’s emcee was, from the Seafair Clowns, West Seattle-residing “Officer Lumpy” emceed:

Past royalty at the tea included the 2012 courts – Senior Court Queen Kayli Schulz and Junior Court Princess Elena Kline, Queen Thea Pulido, and Princess Amanda Elders:

And of course, there was tea, in beautiful china:

P.S. Our partners at The Seattle Times also had a photojournalist at the coronation; you can see their photo gallery here.

That’s a sketch of this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu parade float, as shown at last night’s Hi-Yu meeting, and the organization is looking for someplace where they can work on it before parade season. That’s one of the headlines from last night, at which the three Senior Court candidates read essays on which they’re being judged, essays about their childhood dreams, written a week ago but not practiced – the video starts with introductions, with the reading starting about 3:40 in:

The judges were all West Seattle community leaders – Joe Gong, Dawn Leverett, and Mark Swanson:

Judges’ evaluations will be figured into the results for who becomes this year’s Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen or King, who will be coronated at the May 18th Hi-Yu tea (details in our story from last weekend). Also noted last night, rather than being part of another afternoon-tea event as in the past, the White Rose Ceremony featuring past and present royalty will be part of a Hi-Yu meeting in June. And this year’s travel schedule will be minus one customary stop; Hi-Yu won’t be taking the float to Fathoms O’Fun in Port Orchard, because there’s a schedule conflict: The Seafair Pirates Landing on Alki is earlier this year, scheduled for June 28th, and West Seattle events take priority for Hi-Yu, so royalty and volunteers will be here instead of in Port Orchard.

P.S. So, do you happen to have or know of covered-garage space where Hi-Yu can work on the float? With electrical outlets? If you do, please let them know! There’s contact information at westseattlehiyu.com.

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
In case you missed meeting them here back in March, from left with their sponsor banners are this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court candidates Hang Thao, Nina Coluccio, and Lorelei McFadden, with reigning queen April Davis. After talent performances at the breakfast event, the candidates are continuing with judged events leading up to the big celebration you’re invited to attend: Two weeks from today, Sunday, May 18th, coronation and tea! It’s a festive afternoon tea service at The Hall at Fauntleroy; chair Danette Carufel shared a table-setting photo:

(Photo courtesy West Seattle Hi-Yu)
You can still get your ticket(s) for the 2-5 pm tea/silent auction event on May 18th – $25/person, or bring your friends and fill a table of 10 for $250, supporting this all-volunteer nonprofit community organization – by contacting Danette at 206-935-6517 or via e-mail.

We introduced you eight days ago to this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court candidates (at right) Lorelei, Hang (first male contender since Hi-Yu rules were changed), and Nina. Today, here’s your invitation to the coronation, from Hi-Yu:

The West Seattle Hi-Yu Spring Tea and Silent Auction will be held on Sunday, May 18th from 2-5pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Enjoy great tea, company, and delicious food provided by caterers and businesses in our community as well as a fun silent auction to help raise funds for our scholarship program and building the float the represents West Seattle in parades throughout Puget Sound. This year we will also be crowning the new West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court King or Queen. Tickets are $25 a person, or bring your friends and fill a table of 10 for $250. For more information or tickets, please contact Danette at 206-935-6517 or e-mail danettecarufel@hotmail.com. Hope to see you there!

Back in October, we reported on West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s historic decision to open applications to male candidates for their Junior and Senior Court. As Hi-Yu gets ready for its Senior Court coronation, the candidates include the first-ever boy. 17-year-old Hang Thao is pictured (at this month’s Hi-Yu meeting) with, at left, 17-year-old Lorelei McFadden and, at right, 19-year-old Nina Coluccio. Hang and Lorelei are seniors at the Arts and Academics Academy in White Center, while Nina is a student at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). We’ll find out who becomes Hi-Yu Queen or King at the coronation on May 18th.

Just coronated during West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s holiday party at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church: The new Hi-Yu Junior Court! In our photo, from left, are Queen Bianca Carufel, and Princesses Callie McFadden and Sadie Botuchis. The community group made some changes this year; instead of a mid-summer coronation during the Hiawatha Fun Fest, the application, judging, and coronation were moved to fall. Boys were also invited to apply for the first time, but the seven candidates at tonight’s event were all girls. They were joined by the past Junior Court for this photo, also featuring 2011 Junior Court Queen Taylor Nichols (second from left), who emceed:

Next up – time to choose the Senior Court; applications are due December 20th, and you can find the form on the Hi-Yu website.

Stopping by the West Seattle Hi-Yu table at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival on Sunday, we found out Hi-Yu has just announced a big change: Boys are now welcome to apply to be Hi-Yu royalty, as well as girls.

The full announcement is on the Hi-Yu website, along with this link to the Junior Court application (which will download as a Word doc). The application has to be in by November 5th; this year’s Junior Court coronation is planned for the Hi-Yu Community Breakfast on November 9th. Girls and boys 8-12 years old are welcome to apply.

The Senior Court also will be open to both male and female candidates, and Hi-Yu says it’ll announce the application period soon. The next royalty will be part of a milestone – Hi-Yu’s 80th anniversary!

If you would like to get an application in person, Hi-Yu reps will be at the Hiawatha Community Center Halloween carnival this Friday night (one of the events are in the just-launched WSB Halloween Guide).

We’re at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, with the West Seattle Big Band serenading concertgoers on the east lawn at Hiawatha, and a few special guests – including Judy Pickens, above with WS Grand Parade co-coordinators Dave Vague (left) and Jim Edwards, who presented her with the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community (named after Hi-Yu’s founder). We’ll add video and another photo or two later (plus a separate story about the concert), but Judy’s key point was to urge people to find something “bigger than yourself.” Her many years of service have included helping kids with reading and with a salmon-raising program that benefits not only the youth but also local waterways – particularly Fauntleroy Creek, where she is a watershed steward. The crowd here gave her a couple good rounds of applause, but please show your support for community volunteerism and cheer Judy as she goes by toward the end of this Saturday’s Grand Parade (11 am start at California/Lander, heading south to California/Edmunds).

ADDED 11:19 PM: Listen in as Jim and Dave introduce Judy, and she offers words of thanks and wisdom:

Our parade countdown continues Wednesday!

More major summer events ahead this week – starting with Tuesday night’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park. Bring a chair/blanket to the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center/Park (the Walnut Avenue side) and enjoy the West Seattle Big Band at 7 pm Tuesday (July 16th). Hi-Yu royalty will be there – so, though the concert’s free, bring a few dollars if you can and buy a button to support the city’s last traveling community float (which you’ll subsequently see in next Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade). During a break in the music on Tuesday, you’ll also get a chance to applaud this year’s Orville Rummel Community Service Award honoree, local watershed advocate (and more) Judy Pickens, who will also be in the parade, with the trophy that’s being presented Tuesday. Hope to see you at the concert Tuesday – it’ll be a great way to cool down after a day that just might make it into the mid-80s.